2.3 Earthquake Hazards and Safety

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Vocabulary

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Liquefaction: The time when an earthquakes tremendous shaking all of a sudden turns detached soil into liquid mud.
Aftershock: An earthquake that happens after a bigger earthquake has happened in the same place.
Tsunami: When an earthquake is too strong, some of the water is moved to from larger waves, called tsunamis.
Base-isolated building: A building that is made to decrease the amount of energy that gets or reaches the building in an earthquake.

Outline

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How Earthquakes Cause Damage

• Can topple buildings, create fires, landslides, avalanches, etc.

Local Soil Conditions

• Loose soil shakes more than hard rock when seismic waves reach them.
• House built on rock will shake less than house built on loose soil

Liquefaction

• When quake suddenly shakes loose soil, it turns into liquid mud
• Liquefaction can cause landslides

Aftershocks

• Earthquake that happens after first one; can strike from hours to months later

Tsunamis

• When quake happens underwater it pushes water aside, making waves
• Waves grow larger/taller as they reach shore. Create damage.

Making Buildings Safer

• Buildings should be flexible
• old buildings should be changed to withstand quakes

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